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January 27
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Susan
gave
to:
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl (Paperback)
by Timothy Egan
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in October, 2007
Susan said:
"Through both detailed research and first-person accounts, Egan gives us an unflinching look at what life was like in the American Dust Bowl during the 1920s and 30s. That people chose to stick it out for years, when their crops, farm animals and fam...more
Through both detailed research and first-person accounts, Egan gives us an unflinching look at what life was like in the American Dust Bowl during the 1920s and 30s. That people chose to stick it out for years, when their crops, farm animals and family members were suffocating under layers of dust is both admirable and terribly sad (in that they had no other options and no other states would welcome them). And what they endured is often beyond the ability to conceive. ...less
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Susan
gave
to:
Wuthering Heights (Paperback)
by Emily Brontë
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Susan said:
"Oh, such a romantic favorite! I can almost feel myself traipsing avross the the Moors!
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Susan
gave
to:
Two in the Far North (Paperback)
by Margaret E. Murie
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Susan said:
""Two in the Far North" tells the story of the intrepid (though she had no idea this term could be applied to her) Margaret Murie, who traveled with her husband across uncharted Alaska as he worked for the National Geological Service. Murie...more
"Two in the Far North" tells the story of the intrepid (though she had no idea this term could be applied to her) Margaret Murie, who traveled with her husband across uncharted Alaska as he worked for the National Geological Service. Murie paints herself as a sort of fly on the wall of her husband's adventures, yet her experiences are often the ones leaving the reader shaking her head. One instance sees Murie ensconced in an overladen raft, hurdling down a rapid-riddled river - - with her infant in her ams. Because she sees herself as just being along for the ride, Murie's reflections on their travels are often endearingly simple - (she spends a ton of time recounting the meals she prepares for her husband and his team, which I suppose was seen as a woman's big contribution to an expedition like this). Yet the wild, natural beauty of Alaska certainly wasn't lost on her. ...less
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January 22
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Susan
is currently reading:
The Lobster Coast: Rebels, Rusticators, and the Struggle for a Forgotten Frontier (Paperback)
by Colin Woodard
bookshelves:
currently-reading
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Susan
gave
to:
Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War (Hardcover)
by Nathaniel Philbrick
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in October, 2007
Susan said:
"These aren’t the capotain (the narrow-brimmed hat) wearing, wide belt-buckled peaceniks that we’ve come to associate with the Pilgrims of Plymouth Rock. And if you want an authentic Thanksgiving, better schedule it for September, serve codfish a...more
These aren’t the capotain (the narrow-brimmed hat) wearing, wide belt-buckled peaceniks that we’ve come to associate with the Pilgrims of Plymouth Rock. And if you want an authentic Thanksgiving, better schedule it for September, serve codfish and go naked. This is a very thorough and interesting study of what (and who) brought the Pilgrims to current-day Massachusetts, the admirable and low-down lengths they went to to survive and their relationships with the myriad of native tribes that ultimately led to war. This is certainly not a cut-and-dried tale of who was the aggressor or the aggrieved. The natives are much more sophisticated, pragmatic and strategic than old tales lead one to believe. And the Pilgrims easily mix their piety and religious calling with tendencies to be violent and scheming. To paraphrase the author, the players involved are all too human to leave us with anything that is black and white....less
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Susan
gave
to:
Sex with the Queen: 900 Years of Vile Kings, Virile Lovers, and Passionate Politics (P.S.)
by Eleanor Herman
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in September, 2007
Susan said:
"The title sounds quite tawdry, but the book itself is far from a Harlequin Romance. It takes a look at what life was like for a queen, from Medieval Times through Queen Victoria’s reign. Most marriages were for political gain, where a daughter wa...more
The title sounds quite tawdry, but the book itself is far from a Harlequin Romance. It takes a look at what life was like for a queen, from Medieval Times through Queen Victoria’s reign. Most marriages were for political gain, where a daughter was bartered off to a husband that was disinterested, cruel, insane or homosexual. And a queen consort couldn’t necessarily distract herself from a loveless marriage through the opulence of court life - - castles were often cold, dark and rodent infested and queens, once the marriage pact was sealed, would be sequestered in a convent, prison or worse. Some queens took lovers or undertook political intrigue as a response to their harrowing positions. What’s a girl to do? ...less
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January 20
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Susan
gave
to:
Muhammad - A Profit for Our Time
by Karen Armstrong
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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Susan said:
"For those seeking an Islam 101 course, this isn't the book for you. This is a history of the man who planted the seeds, but it doesn't delve into the fruits of that labor and the many off-shoots of it.
Karen Armstrong is a foremost religious sc...more
For those seeking an Islam 101 course, this isn't the book for you. This is a history of the man who planted the seeds, but it doesn't delve into the fruits of that labor and the many off-shoots of it.
Karen Armstrong is a foremost religious scholar. She's able to convey very complex and intricate histories and ideas in a digestible way. This book introduces the life and path of the Prophet Muhammad and his struggle to bring monotheism to Arabia; to usher out the old pagan, clan-based system and exalt Allah as the one and only deity. Armstrong portrays Muhammad as human, not divine - - He’s a man who struggles, has doubts and fails before ultimately (though not absolutely) triumphing and whose religious vision is inextricably tied to and influenced by the social, economic and political forces at work around him. Especially thought-provoking to me was the similarity between the experience of the Judeo-Christian tradition and that of Islam. In essence, Arabs had heard the stories of Abraham, Moses and Jesus, and many were hopefully waiting for the day when God (they regard Allah, Yahweh and the Christian God as one and the same) would send them their Prophet, one who spoke their language and understood the old ways that needed to be left behind. It’s a very conciliatory perspective that is often overlooked.
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January 14
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Susan
gave
to:
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey (Paperback)
by Candice Millard
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my rating:
Added to my books!
add my review
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read in September, 2007, has a copy to sell/swap
Susan said:
"The account of Teddy Roosevelt's wild Amazon journey. After losing his bid for a 3rd term, a depressed Roosevelt heads for Brazil on a mission for the Natrual History Museum in NY. What started as a benign tour turned into a harrowing expedition to...more
The account of Teddy Roosevelt's wild Amazon journey. After losing his bid for a 3rd term, a depressed Roosevelt heads for Brazil on a mission for the Natrual History Museum in NY. What started as a benign tour turned into a harrowing expedition to chart an unknown tributary - The River of Doubt. It was a journey that drove Roosevelt to the brink of suicide. The story is a page-turner - - an adventure or a calamity awaits the team around every corner. Just as gripping are the personalities involved. Beyond TR, the team is led by Col Rincon, a man with as much bluster and bravery to rival Teddy himself. There's TR's son, Kermit, who is his father's rock as well as his biggest worry. And it's extraordinary to think of the trials and fortitude of the team of camarades, who do all of the heavy lifting for the expedition, all while on the brink of starvation and while not wearing shoes. A testament to what people can endure and overcome....less
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